Sheet stripping and separating device



Sept. 5, 1939. M, H. STOLAR El AL SHEET STRIPPING AND SEPARATING DEVICE Filed May 6, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Myer Stein and Gustave Chas/er,

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Sept. 5, 1939. *M. H. STOLAR El AL SHEET STRIPPING AND SEPARATING DEVICE Filed May 6, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M er Sic/er anJ' G uszave E. chesler, 3mm

Sept. 5, 1939. M. H. STOLAR ET AL SHEET STRIPPING AND SEPARATING DEVICE Filed May 6, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwwa wtm Gustave E.C/|es/er- Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED (STATES SHEET STRIPPING AND SEPARATING DEVICE Myer H. Stolar, Washington, D. 0., and Gustave E. Chesler, Baltimore, Md.

Application May 6, 1938, Serial No. 206,502

14 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the provisions of the act of March 3, 1883 (Ch. 143, 22 Stat. L. 625), as amended by the act of April 30, 1928 (Ch 460, 45 Stat. L. 467).

Our invention pertains to means for segregating sheet material at lines of demarcation.

More specifically the invention pertains to mechanical means for separating elongated sheets of material having longitudinally and/or transversely disposed prefixed lines of weak resistance, such as scores or perforations, into the segments defined by the lines.

In order to understand the purpose, object and function of the device hereinafter described and claimed, reference is first had to Figs. 14 through 17 of the drawings. As there illustrated, in certain classes of business ledger cards, sheets and the like are peculiarly formed for use in connection with specific types of apparatus for specific purposes. For example, in the use of tabulating or other listing machines it may be preferable, or the machines may be adapted, to make certain imprints or impressions within certain margins or areas 20 of a sheet, card or strip 2|. In many instances the unprinted marginal areas 22 are necessary for the proper operation of the machine so as not to destroy or deface the record areas 20 of the sheet 2|.

In practice the marginal strips 22 are ordinarily removed as useless or undesirable after they have once served the purpose for which they were left on the sheet. To increase the output of such machines and to facilitate their operation it is also found desirable to utilize the continuous or elongated type of sheet or strip 2|, which is ordinarily supplied in rolls or fan-fold form. In the use of such continuous sheets the machines are adapted to imprint at predetermined intervals and within given areas 20, and the intermittent imprinting of the machines are frequently controlled by notches or punch-outs 23 in the aforementioned marginal strips 22. After the continuous sheet has been intermittently recorded the sheet areas 20 bearing such imprints are customarily separated into cards or sheets 20' for convenient filing, binding, mailing and the like.

To facilitate the removal of the marginal strips 22 and the separation of the cards or sheets 20 from the continuous sheet after they have been imprinted, the manufacturers ordinarily provide longitudinal and/or transverse scores, perforations, or other demarcation lines of weak resistance, 24 and 25, respectively, to provide cards or sheets 20 of uniform size and of comparative straight smooth edges. 6

An object of our invention is to provide mechanical means for expeditiously removing such pre-functionary strips as described, separating the cards or sheets, and delivering, arranging, or stacking the cards sequentially for ready filing, 10 reference or other purposes.

Mechanical arrangements having the characteristics of our invention d by which the same may be practiced are shown in the accompanying drawings in which- 5 Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of our invention and illustrates the progressive conditions of the enlongated sheet material from the time it leaves a container in fan-fold form until it enters a second container in separated card or sheet form. f

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section in perspective illustrating means for removing marginal strip from a sheet.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views taken at lines 4'-4 and 25 55, respectively of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectionalized perspective of high speed sheet feeding means and sheet guide.

Fig. '7 illustrates the delivery and stacking means for the separated cards.

Fig. 8 is a sectionalized perspective of the low speed sheet feeding means and guide.

Fig. 9, a section in plan, illustrates both the high and low speed feeding means and the means for angularly displacing the sheet. 35

Fig. 10 is similar to Fig. 9 except that it illustrates a modified form of means for angularly displacing the sheet.

Figs. 11 and 12 are views taken at lines and |2|2, respectively, of Fig. 9. 40

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 8.

Figs. 14 through 17 illustrate the more com: mon types of elongated sheet material for which the device is designed to separate into card or sheet form.

Our invention comprises means for feeding a sheet of the character described in an end-edgewise manner at a predetermined speed, means in the path through which the sheet is fed for directing the longitudinally defined marginal segments in a direction opposed to that in which the card area portion is fed, and means in the advanced path of the fed sheet for angularly feeding the same at a greater rate of speed than that=of'the original feeding means. Means for tially into a uniform stack or packet may also be included. I

More specifically, as shown in the drawings illustrate a practical application of the invention, the initial feeding means may consist of a driven roller 28 mounted sumciently above a surface, over which the-sheet 2| passes, to frictionally grasp the sheet and cause it to be fed along. The roller may be driven by any suitable means such as by a motor 21, belt 28 and pulley 28. An anti-friction bed for the sheet may also be provided to eliminate the friction to which the underside of the sheet would otherwise be subjected by reason of the pressure on the sheet by the roller 23. by the use of another roller 38, which need not be driven, positioned beneath thedriven roller 28. As shown in Fig. 8 the roller 28 may be driven rather than the roller 28.

The mounting ii for the roller 23 may be of the type which will afford an adjustment of the space between two rollers, 23 and ll, to accommodate sheets of different thicknesses. Roller mountings which will accomplish this object are shown most clearly inFigs. 2, 8 and 13, and consist of standards 3| having vertically disposed elongated bearings 32 which will allow a raising or lowering of the shaft 33', carrying the roller, according to the thickness of the sheet to be fed. Rather than allow the roller to float in the bearings an adjustable detent 34 adapted to bear against the shaft 33 of the roller is provided to hold the roller 28 in gripping contact with the sheet's surface. The detent may also be provided with a spring, not shown, which may be sufficiently compressed to .ordinarily hold the roller in gripping contact with the sheet and yet allow a sumcient lifting of the roller to accommodate for slight irregularities in the sheet, as occur by reason of changes in atmospheric conditions. As shown in Figs. 9- and 10 the conventional types of standards 3! and bearings 32' may be employed for the pulley shafts.

A practical form of the means for removing the marginal strip 22 from the sheet will be seen in Fig. 3, where, in the path through which the sheet is fed, we provide' means for directing the marginal strip in a direction away from the card area portion of the sheet whereby the strip is caused to shear itself from the sheet. The directing means shown consist of a curved guide 35, with a slight outward deflection, over which the marginal strip 22 passes and is directed upwardly from the cardarea portion'iand outwardly away from the machine where it may be collected by a waste container 33 to avoid interference with the operation of the machine. It may also be desirable to provide another guide 31 under which the card area portion of the sheet is adapted to pass and be directed downwardly from a point at which the marginal strip is directed upwardly. The guides 35 and 31 are preferably made slidingly adjustable to accommodate for sheets and marginal strips of -difi'erent widths. As will be seen in, Fig. 2, the guides 35 and 31 through which, the sheet is fed are preferably elevated above the feeding roller 26 in order that a downward direction of pull may be imparted to the card area of the sheet from the point where the upward direction.

is imparted to the marginal strip. By these divergent directions to the two parts of the sheet they are caused to shearingly separate them- As shown, this may beaccompiished.

selves. Antifriction means 28" may also be positioned-beneath the sheet at the point of the downward pull.

As the card area portion of the sheet is projected from, and by, the feeding roller 28 it is directed into an angular grasp by another feeding roller 38 driven at a rotary speed in excess of the first feeding roller 28. This roller may also be driven from the motor 21 and carry a somewhat smaller pulley 28' for driving pulley 28 of roller 28. An antifriction roller 30' may also be provided beneath the roller 38 and the roller mounted in bearings of a conventional standard 3|.

By this arrangement sufiicient tension may be placed on the sheet, by and between the two rollers 28 and 38, as to cause the sheet to be separated at the line of least resistance, namely, the previously described transverse lines 28 of weak resistance. To aid in the separation of the cards at such lines, means are provided to deflect the card area portion of the sheets, between the two feeding rollers, suificiently to allow the roller 38 to impart an angular pull on the sheet whereby the tension in the sheet is initiated first along one edge rather than across the entire width of the sheet. In other words, by such an angular pull on the sheet, the tension and tearing is progressive from one edge of the sheet to the other. By this manner less tension is necessary, to bring about the separation of the cards, than would be required if the tension were evenly distributed across the entire sheet.

The progressive tension and tearing just described may be accomplished, according to our invention, in a number of diiierent ways, namely, the sheet may be anguiarly disposed by means of a guide 39, Fig. 10, arranged along the edge of the path through which the sheet passes and adapted to cause one edge of the sheet to buckle whereby that edge of the sheet is slightly detained and brings about an angular displacement of the card. As shown in Figs. 9, 11 and 12, in lieu of the buckling guide 38, a tapering bulge 40 is provided to detain one edge of the sheet sufiiciently to cause the sheet to be fed into the roller 38 at an angle;

Progressive tension from one edge of the sheet to the other, to bring about progressive tearing across the sheet at the scored lines, may also be brought about without the aid of a deflecting or detaining guide 39 or bulge Ill according to the arrangements and embodiment of our invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, i. e., by placing the high speed roller 38 at an angle with respect to the sheet rather than anguiarly disposing the sheet with respect to that roller. By this arrangement it will also be seen that the tension will be progressive across the sheet as the roller progressively engages the width of the sheet.

The angular positions of the roller 38, according to the latter method, may be varied by an arcuately movable bearing for one end of the roller as indicated by the slot ll in Fig. 6.

The feeding rollers 26 and 38 should be spaced from each other a distance greater than the length of one but less than the length of two of the cards or sheets 28' so that there will always be one but never two transverse scores 25 occurring between the two rollers. By this arrangement the tension on the card area portion 20 of the sheet 2i, between the rollers, will never cause a tearing at a second transverse score until a separation has been completed at the first occurring score. This will be readily understood from an inspection of Fig. 1. By this spacing of therollers it will also be seen that tension is never placed on a single card or sheet, thereby eliminating the possibility of tearing the cards or sheets between the scores.

Suitable means for directing the sheet through the stripping guide 35, into the initial feeding roller 26, from there into roller 38, and thence into a container 42 comprises a. plurality of pairs of spaced and reversely positioned angle irons or brackets 43 and 43' the standing legs of which are innermost and are adapted to serve as guides for the sheet. These guides 43 and 43 should be adjustable, as to their spacing, to accommodate for sheets of different widths. Suitable adjusting means therefor are shown in Figs. 1, 2, '7, 8, 9 and 12 and comprise a support 44 having an adjustment rod or bolt 45 threaded therethrough and adapted to push or pull the guide 43 upon the turning of the bolt.

To assist in directing the sheet into the actuating elements of the device it may be desirable to provide, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, guides 48 over the sheet to keep the same within the angle guides 43 and to insure an unfolding or unrolling of the sheet, as it is drawn or fed from the container 41 or from a roll, before it reaches the stripping and feeding means.

Means may also be provided for the orderly dispensing of the separated cards sequentially into a container or uniform packet. Such means are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and '7 and comprise a flexible finger type of guide 48 having sufilcient curvature to direct the card into the container 42.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

1. A device for separating a longitudinally and transversely perforated sheet of material into the segments defined thereby, said device comprising means for feeding the sheet at a predetermined speed, directing means in the path of the sheet for progressively directing, while the sheet is in feed, the segments opposite the longitudinal perforations in opposite directions to cause the sheet to progressively shear itself along said longitudinal perforations, means beyond said directing means operable to feed the sheet angularly with respect to the direction of its original feed and at a greater speed than the initial feeding speed, whereby an angular tension is placed on the sheet between the two feeding means causing it to progressively tear at said transverse perforations.

2. A device for separating a sheet of material having longitudinally and transversely defined lines of Weak resistance into the segments defined thereby by separating the sheet at said lines, said device comprising means for feeding one longitudinally defined segment in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed, means adj acent the path of said fed segment for directing the longitudinally defined segment adjoining the fed segment in a direction opposed to that in which it is predeterminately fed whereby the adjoining longitudinal segments are forced to separate at the dividing lines, means beyond said feeding means for angularly pulling the successive segments defined by the transverse lines at a speed in excess of the original feeding of the sheet whereby the resulting angular pull upon the sheet causes the sheet to progressively tear at said transverse lines.

3. A device for eparating a sheet of paper into segments defined by longitudinal and transverse lines of weak resistance, said device comprising means for progressively directing adjoining longitudinal segments in opposite directions, spaced means for simultaneously feeding one ,of said iongitudinal segments at different speeds, means for guiding said sheet into feed by the slower feeding means and thence into feed by thefaster feeding means, said feeding means being spaced from each other a distance greater than the length of a segment between a pair of said transverse lines and a distance shorter than the length of two of said segments whereby tension is successively placed upon adjoining segments causing the same to separate at each successive transverse line.

4. A device for separating a longitudinally and transversely perforated elongated sheet of material into the segnients defined thereby by separating the sheet at its perforations, said device comprising means for feeding one longitudinally defined segment in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed, direction-imparting means adjacent the path of said fed segment for directing the longitudinally defined segment adjoining the fed segment in a direction opposed to that in which it is predeterminateiy fed whereby the adjonin'g'longitudinal segments are forced to separate at the dividing longitudinal perforations, means in the path of the fed longitudinal segment adapted to successively grasp one corner of each segment defined by said transverse perforaions and feed the same at a greater speed whereby tension is progressively placed along each appearing transverse perforation causing thesegments of the fed longitudinal segment to become separated.

5. A device for separating a sheet of material into the segments defined by predetermined lines of weak resistance, said device comprising means for feed ng the sheet in an edgewise manner; guideways in the path of the sheet for progressively direct ng, while the sheet is in feed, the segments opposite said lines in opposite directions to cause the sheet to progressively separate itself along said lines.

6. A device for separating a longitudinally perforated elongated sheet of material into the segments defined thereby by separat ng the sheet at its perforations, said device comprising means for feeding one longitudinally defined segment in a predetermined direction, guideways adjacent the path of said fed segment for directing the longitudinally defined segment adjo ning the fed segment in a direction opposed to that in which it is predeterminateiy fed whereby the adjoining longitudinal segments are forced to separate at the dividing perforations.

7. A device for separating a sheet of paper into segments defined by a pre-fixed line of weak resistance, said device comprising means for feeding one of said defined segments, a guideway in the path of the other defined segment for progressively directing the same away from the fed segment whereby in feed the sheet is caused to shear itself along said line.

8. A device for separating a transversely per forated sheet of ma erial into the segments defined thereby, said device comprising means for feeding the sheet edgewise at a predetermined speed, means beyond said feeding means operable to feed the sheet at a greater speed than the initial feeding speed whereby tension is placed on the sheet, and fixed means independent of said feeding means operable to angularly dispose the sheet between the two feeding means, whereby the sheet is caused to progressively tear at said transverse perforations.

9. A device for separating a transversely perforated elongated sheet of material into the segments defined thereby by separating the sheet at its perforations, said device comprsing means for feeding the sheet in a predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed, stationary means beyond said feeding means for retarding one edge of the advanced sheet, and means beyond said retarding means for first grasping the unretarded edge of the sheet and pulling the successive segments defined by the transverse perforafions at a speed in excess of the original feeding of the sheet whereby the resulting pull upon the sheet causes a separation at said transverse perforations.

10. A device for separating a sheet of paper into segments defined by a pre-fixed line of weakresistance, said device comprising spaced means for simultaneously feeding said sheet at different speeds in a direction transversely of said line, means for guiding said sheet into feed by the slower feeding means and thence into feed by the faster feeding means, said feeding means being spaced from each other a distance greater than the length of a segment between a pair of said transverse lines and a distance shorter than the length of two of said segments, stationary means between said spaced feeding means for diverting the plane of one edge of the sheet whereby that edge is retarded and the pull on the sheet by the advanced feeding means is diagonal of said sheet and whereby said feeding means successively places tension upon adjoining segments causing the same to separate at each successve transverse line.

11. A device for separating a transversely perforated elongated sheet of material into the segments defined thereby by separating the sheet at its perforations, said device comprising means. -for feeding said sheet edgewise at a predeterm ned speed, stationary means in the path of the sheet advanced from said feeding means for increasing the length of the path through which one margin of the sheet is advanced, and means beyond the latter means to successively grasp the advanced corner of each successive segment defined by the transverse perforations and feed the same at a greater speed whereby tension is progressively placed along each appearing transverse perforation causing the segments to become separated.

12. A device for separating a sheet of material into the segments defined by pre-fixed weak lines of demarcation by separating the sheet at .aaid

forated elongated sheet of material into the seg ments defined thereby by separating the sheet at its perforations, said device comprising means for feeding said sheet edgewise at a predetermined speed, a second feeding means in the path of the advanced sheet, sa d second feeding means being disposed diagonally of the first feeding means and adapted to successively grasp the foremost corner of each successive segment defined by the transverse perforations and feed the same at a greater speed whereby diagonal tension is progressively placed along each appearing transverse perforation causing the segments to become separated, and means for dispensing and-directing the separated segments sequentially into a packet.

14. A device for separating a longitudinally and transversely perforated sheet of material into the segments defined thereby, said device comprising means for feeding the sheet at a predetermined speed, directing means in the path of the sheet for progressively directing, while the sheet is in feed, the segments opposite the longitudinal perforations in opposite directions to cause the sheet to progressively shear itself along said longitudinal perforations, means angularly disposed with respect to said feeding means located beyond said directing means operable to angularly grasp the sheet and feed the foremost segment thereof at a greater speed than the initial feeding speed, and means for dispensing and directing the separated segments sequentially into a packet.

MYER 'H. STOLAR. GUSTAVE E. CHESLER. 

